Article assembling apparatus



Nov. 24, 1942. I H. w. @AREE 2,302,758

' ARTICLE SISEMBLING APPRATUS Filed Jan.v 1l, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l Tram/fr Nov. 24, 1942. H, w. @AREE 2,302,158 n ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1940 4.Sheets-Sv heet 24 Nov. 24, 1942.` H, w, GARBE ARTICLE AsgE-MBLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, v1940 4 sheets-sheet s @uw rfa/ma.

Nov. 24, 1942. H. w. GARBE ARTICLE ASSEMB'LING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet, 4

Filed Jan. 11, 1940 Patented Nov. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES 'l' QliFIQE ARTICLE ASSEN/[BLING APPARATUS Application January 11, 1940, vSerial No. 313,405

2 calms.

This invention relates to article assembling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for compressing pile-ups of parts during the securing of the parts one to another.

In the manufacture of various types of ap parat-us, it quite frequently becomes necessary to assemble a plurality of parts which are to be secured together to form a unitary structure, and

in some instances it is necessary to attach the parts one to another while under pressure. This type of operation is particularly useful in the assembling of spring pila-ups for relays and other electrical apparatus of a similar nature, for example, cross bar switch vertical units. In apparatus of this, type, the various parts of the assemblage must be held in positionl within very close limits when the parts are assembled and, accordingly, it becomes desirable to assemble the parts loosely on xtures or jigs and then attach parts one to another by machine screws While the parts are held under a predetermined pressurel Various types of apparatus have been devised for performing this operation, some of them utilizing a leverage arrangement actuated by the pressure of an operators foot and various other expedients have been adopted from time to time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved assembling apparatus which operates rapidly and which is safe to operate.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, as applied to apparatus for securing the parts of cross bar switch vertical units one to another which will accommodate various heights of pile-ups without readjustment, there is provided a pneumatically actuated pressing head adapted to be driven by a reversible piston, which, upon movement in one direction, will clamp an assembly of conducting elements and insulators held on a fixture in a predetermined position so that screws may be threaded through the assembled parts to hold them in a predetermined relation one to another. Cooperating with the pressing head is an ejecting mechanism, which will strip a vertical unit, which has been screwed together, from the fixture on which it is mounted each time the pressing head compresses an assembly of parts. The compressing and ejecting mechanism are so positioned that they will act upon assemblies on abutting natures or jigs and means is provided for preventing operation of the compressing and ejecting mechanism unless two iixtures carrying the proper assembly of parts are in position in the compressing and ejecting sections of the machine.

A better understanding of the invention will be had by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig, 1 is a front elevational View of a compressing and ejecting apparatus which embodies the present intention;

Fig, 2 is a side elevational View of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan View of the upper portion of the mechanism shown on an enlarged scale and parts being broken away to conserve space; and.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings7 wherein like reference characters designate the same parts throughout the several views, particular reference being had to Figs. l. and 2, the embodiment of the apparatus herein disclosed comprises a base l l rectangular in form, which may be positioned on the door I2 of a room in which the apparatus is to be used. The upper portion of the apparatus extends through a suitable bench I3, which may form a part of a conveyor system onto which iixtures lll-Ml (Figs. 4 and 5) may be advanced during the straight line assembly of the apparatus being assembled by means of the herein described embodiment of the present invention. Extending upwardly from the base Il, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are four tie rods l5, it, El and i8, which are suitably secured to the base Il and have mounted at their upper end a bed plate I9.

rhe parts to be secured together in the apparatus disclosed herein are the parts going into the assembly of what is known as a telephone central office cross bar switch vertical unit. It will be understood that this unit does not form a part of the present invention, but that the embodiment of the invention being described herein is particularly adapted for assembling such apparatus. A cross bar switch vertical unit is shown in dot and dash lines in Figs, 4 and 5 and comprises a mounting plate 20 on which superposed insulators and contact springs are to be mounted. The contact springs have been desighated 2l and the insulators indicated at 22--22 and 23--23- The mounting plate 20 is threaded to receive fastening screws 2li- 2li and 25-25, which are passed through clamp plates 26 and 2l, respectively, and clamp the plates 26 and 21 tightly in engagement with the pile-up of springs and insulators.

In assembling the various parts of the cross bar switch vertical unit in their proper relation, the parts are assembled on the fixture I4, which is provided with upwardly extending pins 28-28 and .fill-T20, which extend from supporting blocks 30 and 3l (Fig. 5) formed integrally with and extending upwardly from the base of the fixture paratus.

I4. Each of the fixtures I4 have four apertures 32, 33, 34 and 35 formed therein through which stripping pins 33, 31, 38 and 39 may be passed, in a manner to be described hereinafter, to strip the assembled cross bar unit oii" of the pins 28--28 and 29-29 after the various parts of the cross bar unit have been fixed together.

Mounted on the bed plate I9 are a pair of guide blocks 4| and 42, between which the fixtures I4 are guided in their movementthrough the ap- The guide block 4| has a hold down plate 43 mounted upon it and the block 4| and plate 43 are xed to the bed plate' I4 by means of a series of screws 44. A plate 45, similar to the plate 43 but somewhat wider than it, is mounted o n top of the guide block 42, being held, togetherv with the guide block, on the bed plate I9 by screws 45. These guide blocks and hold down plates serve to guide and hold the xtures I4 while they are in position in the apparatus.

ASuitably secured to the underside ofthe bed plateV I9 is a bearing block 60, from which extend a pair of bearings 6| and 62, having mounted in them a pair of studs 63 and 64 for pivotally supporting a pair of levers 65 and 56, respectively. The levers 65 and 69 are secured to opposite sides of a piston rod 61, which is adapted to be actuated by a piston 63, slidable in a cylinder 69. A pair of hoses 19 and 1| communicate with ports 12 and 13, respectively, for supplying air under pressure to the cylinder 69 to actuate the piston 68. The supply of air to the hoses and 1I may be controlled by a pair of treadles 14 and 15 having pipes 16 and 11, respectively, for connecting them to suitable valves (not shown), which, in turn, control the flow of air through the hoses 10 and 1I. The treadle 14 is connected to the valves (not shown) in such a manner that depression of the treadle 14 will cause air under pressure to be admitted to the lower end of the cylinder 69 through the hose 10 and will permit the air in the upper end of the cylinder to escape through the hose 1|. Conversely, depression of the treadle will cause air under pressure to be admitted to the upper end of the cylinder through hose 1| and will permit the air in the lower end of the cylinder to escape through the hose 10.

Formed in the left end (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) of the levers 65 and 9E are apertures 85 and 86, which are adapted to receive trunnions 81 and 88, respectively, extending outwardly from a block 89. The block 39 is slidable horizontally in an aperture 90 formed by cooperating surfaces of a plate 9| and an actuator block 92, which are held together by a reduced portion of a pair of actuator rods 93 and 94, which rods are provided with shoulders 95 and 99, respectively, against which the plate 9| is forced by the action of nuts 91 and 93 threaded onto the lower ends of the rods 93 and 94, respectively. Fixed to the upper ends of the actuator rods 93 and 94 is a pressing head 99, which serves to compress the assembled parts of the cross bar switch vertical unit when it is moved downwardly by clamping the parts between the fixture I4 on the bed plate 9 and the pressing head 99. The lower surface of the pressing head 99 has a series of circular depressions IM therein into which the heads of the screws 24 extend and a pair of depressions |0I and a pair of depressions |02 into which the pins 23 and 29 extend, respectively. when the pressing head 99 is moved downwardly to compress a pile-up of cross bar switch unit parts positioned under it. The heads of the screws 25 extend into apertures |03, which are counter-sunk, as shown at |04, to receive the bit |05 of a screw driver and direct it into engagement with the slotted heads of the screws 25 while the assembly of parts is held under compression.

Fivotally mounted on pivot pins H5 and IIB (Fig. 4) are a pair of positioning members I|1 and ||B, which cooperate with positioning members ||9 and |20 to properly center two assemblies of'parts mounted in fixtures |4 in position in the apparatus. The positioning members |I9 and |29 are mounted on pivot pins or studs |2| and |22, respectively, and are normally urged to rotate in a clockwise direction about the pivot pins I 2| and |22 by coil springs |23 and |24 xed to them and to the plate 45. A pair of pins |25 and |23 enter into slots |21 and |29, respectively, in the positioning members II9 and |20 to limit the movement of the positioning members. When the positioning members are in the position shown in Fig. 4, the lower right hand corners of them will engage shoulders |29 of the supporting block Si? on the two fixtures I4.

Both of the positioning members ||9 and |20 have circular` apertures formed therein, designated |30 and I 3|, respectively, which are counter-sunk on their upper and lower sides, respectively, as shown at |32 and |33, respectively, for engagement by tapered pins I 34 and |35, respectively. The tapered pin |34 is mounted on the undersurface of the pressing head 99 and when the pressing head moves downwardly, the tapered point of the pin |34, as shown most clearly in Fig, 5, will engage the counter-sunk or sloping edge of the aperture |30 and cam the positioning member ||9 upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 4, out of the path of the xture I4. In a similar manner, the pin |35, which is mounted upon a vertically reciprocable cross head |45 (Figs. l and 3) which also carries the ejecting pins 3B, 31, 38 and 39, as will be described hereinafter, may be moved simultaneously with the pressing head 99 to cam the positioningmember |20 in a counter-clockwise direction out of the path of the shoulder |29 on the left hand fixture I4 (Fig. 4). The lower left hand edges (Fig. 4) of the positioning members ||1 and ||8 have notches |45 and |41 formed therein for engaging the upper right hand corner (Fig. 4) of the supporting block on the xtures I4. These positioning members |51 and I|8 are normally urged to rotate in a counterclockwise direction by coil springs |48 and |49 xed to the positioning members and to the plate 45. The lower surface (Fig. 4) of the positioning members |I1 and I|8 serves as a camming surface for engagement by the supporting blocks 30 in their passage to the position in which they are shown in Fig. 4 and when a xture I4, carrying an assembly of parts, is moved from left to right (Fig. 4) into the position shown, the supporting block 30 will rock the positioning members ||1 and ||8 in a clockwise direction 'until the shoulders |29 on the supporting blocks move the positioning members I9 and |20 to the position shown in Fig. 4, at which time the notches |46 and |41 in the positioning members ||1 and |I8 will permit the springs |48 and |49 to move the positioning members ||1 and H3 in a counter-clockwise direction to the position shown. When the xtures 4 arrive at the position shown in Fig. 4, the parts assembled on the right hand fixture I4 may be compressed and the parts assembled on the left hand xture 4 may be moved upwardly off of the pins 28 and 29. As the pressing head 99 moves downwardly, carrying the pin |34 with it, and as the pin |35 moves upwardly, the two positioning members I I9 and |20 will be cammed in a counter-clockwise direction, as pointed out hereinbefore, andas soon as they are free of the shoulder |29 on the supporting block 30, the springs |23 and |24 will snap the positioning members I|9 and |20 to the right (Fig. 4) due to the fact that the shanks of the pins |2| and |22 do not pass through a circular aperture in the members II9 and |25, respectively, but extend through slots |52 and |53, respectively. However, when the fixture I4, shown in the right hand position (Fig. 4), is moved to the left hand position, the supporting block 30 will engage the positioning member |28 and move it to the position shown, whereas a new fixture (not shown), but exactly the same as the fixtures I4, will, in moving to the position of the right hand fixture I4 (Fig. 4), move the positioning member ||9 to the position shown.

The positioning members ||1 and ||8 have slots |54 and I 55 formed in them, which will, when a fixture I 4 with a proper assembly of parts thereon is in each of the positions shown in Fig. 4, register with the heads |56 and |51 of screws |58 and |59, respectively. The screws |58 and |59 are ixed in lugs |50 and ISI extending outwardly from the edges of a guard member |52. The guard member |62 is substantially rectangular in configuration and may be moved downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 to enclose substantially all of the mechanism of the pressing head, thereby to prevent an operator Yfrom being injured by the action of the pressing parts. I 53 to avoid striking various parts of the apparatus and is mounted upon a pair of levers |64 and |65, which extend toward the rear or left hand end of the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 2, and are pivoted as shown at |55 on supports |61. A contractile spring |58 is fixed to the right hand end (Fig. 2) of the levers |54 and I 55 and normally urges the guard member |52 up away from the pressing head 99 and jig I4. To the right of the pivot point |55 a link |59 is attached to the guard member |52. The link |59 extends downwardly to a lever |10, which is xed to the treadle 14, and unless the heads |55 and |51 find that the positioning members I|1 and H8 are in the position shown in Fig. 4, the heads |56 and |51 of the screws |55 and |59 will strike the positioning members and will not enter the slots |54 and |55, respectively, thereby preventing operation of the treadle 14. However, if the xtures |4 are in the positions shown in Fig. 4, the positioning members |I1 and ||8 will be in the position shown and the heads |55 and |51 of the screws 58 and I 59 may enter the slots |54 and |55, thereby to permit the guard member |52 to be moved downwardly against the action of the spring |53 and permit the consequent depression of the treadle 14, which, as described hereinbefore, will control the admission of air under pressure to the lower end of the cylinder 69 to move the pressing head 99 downwardly.

Pivotally connected to the actuator block 92, asshown at |84. is a link I8I, which is. in turn, pivotally connected to a lever |32. The lever |82 is mounted for oscillation about a pin I 23 (Figs. 1 and 3) xed in the lower end of the bearing 62 and has its left end (Figs. l and 3) pivotally connected to a link |84, which is, .in turn, pivotally mounted on the cross head |45 to impart movement to the cross head |45 every time the piston 53 is actuated. A guide pin |81 is The guard member |62 is cut out at fixed to the cross head and is slidable in a horizontally extending plate |88 mounted on the lower end of a vertically extending plate |89, which is, in turn, secured to the underside of the bed plate I9.

Operation A better understanding of the apparatus may be had from the following brief description of the operation thereof.

A number of xtures I4 are provided on which there may be loosely assembled a pile-up of cross bar switch. vertical unit parts comprising the mounting plate 24, contact springsI 2|, insulators 22 and 23, screws 24 and 25, and clamping plates 25 and 21. These parts are assembled by an operator and may be transported to the compressing apparatus forming the subject matter of this invention, in any suitable manner, where the fixture with the assembled parts on it may be slid along the bed plate I9 and the xtures, in sliding along the bed plate i5, will have their edges under the plates 43 and 45, the fixtures i4 being slid into the apparatus from right to left, as shown in Figs. l and 4. As the xture I4 is slid between the guide blocks 4| and 42, the supporting block 3| will cam the positioning member ||1 out of its path by engaging the lower surface thereof (Fig. 4). As soon as the shoulder |25 of the supporting block 3| moves the positioning member ||9 to the position shown, the notch |45 in the positioning member ||1 will be in alignment with the right hand end (Fig. 4) of the supporting block 3| and therefore the positioning member ||1 will be rocked about its pivot H5 by the spring |45 to properly position the fixture i4 in the pressing head. As the shoulder |25 of the supporting block 3| engaged the right hand end (Fig. 4) of the positioning member i i9, it moved the positioning member to the left (Fig. 4) to the position as shown, the positioning member sliding along its pivot pin |2|. At the beginning of the operation of the device, it will be necessary to manipulate the positioning member I |8 by hand in order to bring the slot |55 thereof in registry with the head |51 of the screw |59, since at this time there will be no fixture I4 in the left hand position, as shown in Fig. 4. When the fixture I4 has been moved into the right hand position, as seen in Fig. 4, and the positioning member ||8 moved manually, as just described, the treadle 14 may be depressed to move the guard member |52 downwardly and permit air under pressure to flow through the pipes 15 to control the valves (not shown), thereby to admit air under pressure through the hose 1|! to the lower end of the cylinder 59. The piston 58 will thus be moved upwardly by air under pressure in the lower end of the cylinder, and in moving upwardly, will rock the levers |35 and about on the studs 65 and 54, thereby to move the actuator block 92 downwardly and apply a predetermined pressure to the parts on the xture I4 in the right hand position (Fig. 4) through the downward movement of the pressing head 95. The movement dewnwardly of the actuator block 92 will, through the lever |52 and links ll and |84, cause the cross head |45 to move upwardly. The upward movement of the cross head |45 in the first operation of the machine does not perform any useful operation since no fixture i4 is in the left hand position (Fig. 4). While the pressing head 55 is held downwardly through the action of the piston 58,

. the screws 25 may be set by means of the screw driver having the bit |55 and after the screws have been properly set, the treadle 'l5 may be actuated to permit the air under pressure in the lower end of the cylinder 69 to escape and to supply airV under pressure to the upper end of the cylinder through the hose Tl. As the pressing head Sii moved downwardly on its initial operation, it carried the tapered pin i3d with it and cammed the positioning member H9 in a counter-clockwise direction about the pivot pin i2! to move the lower edge of the positioning member IIS out of the path of the shoulder 129 on the block 3l. As soon as the pin 34 moves the positioning member iii? out of engagement with the shoulder i229, the positioning member l I9 will be moved bodily with respect to the pivot pin mi by the spring H23 to permit the fixture M with the tightened assembly of parts thereon to be pushed past the positioning member H9 by a iiXture i4 being pushed in under the hold-down plates 43 and 45 from right to left and abutting the fixture i4, now shown in the right hand position (Fig` 4). rIhe iixture H in the right hand position (Fig. 4) will thus be moved over into the left hand position and a new nxture ifi with a loosely assembled pile-up of parts thereon will be moved under the pressing head. As soon as the operator has pushed the new fixture ld in under the pressing head 59, the fixture l, carrying the parts which have been tightened together, will have cammed the positioning member HS in a clockwise direction and have moved the positioning member lZEl to its left hand position, as shown in Fig. 4, at which time the spring |139 will snap the positioning member H3 to the position shown and since there will then be xtures positioned in both the right and left hand positions, the next operation of the treadle 'M will cause the parts in the right hand position to be clamped under pressure while the screws are set therein and as the pressing head 99 moves downwardly, the cross head 45 will move upwardly to carry the stripping pins 3S, 31, 38 and 39 upwardly into engagement with the mounting plate 2li and will strip the assembled cross bar unit o of the locating pins 23 and 2. rlhe iixture Hl in the left hand position will be held down by the plates 43 and @5 and the stripping pins 35, 3l', 33 and 39 will pass upwardly through the apertures 33, 34 and 35, respectively, in the fixture le. As the cross head i135 moves upwardly, the tapered pin 35 will engage the edge of the aperture lfl and rock the positioning member t2@ in a counter-clockwise direction at the same time that the pin |34 rocks the positioning member M9. When the positioning members H9 and lli are rocked in a counterclockwise direction, the springs |23 and 24 will move the positioning members bodily along the pins iii and 22 to carry them out of the path of the shoulder 29 on the blocks 3| and a new loosely assembled group of parts mounted on the fixture Htmay be slid into position under the pressing head, thereby to force the iixture M in the ejecting position out of the apparatus after the screws 25 have been set.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described hereinbefore as illustrative of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications of this apparatus may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

4l. In an apparatus for use in assembling articles, a compressing station, an ejecting station including an ejecting mechanism, a guideway common to said stations for directing xtures with articles thereon from the compressing station to the ejecting station, a pivotally mounted cylinder, a piston for cooperation with said cylinder, a piston rod connected to the piston, a leverage mechanism connected to the piston rod, a pressing head at the compressing station operated by said leverage mechanism, a second leverage mechanism interconnected with said piston for actuating the ejecting mechanism, said piston being operable to effect actuation of the pressing mechanism and the ejecting mechanism simultaneously to compress the parts of an article in the compressing station and eject the parts of an article at the ejecting station, a guard movable to enclose substantially all of the edges of the article at the pressing station, movably mounted positioning members at the compressing station and the ejecting station for positioning the xtures at their respective stations, said positioning members adapted to lie in one position when the fixtures are properly placed at their respective stations, but to lie in a different position when said parts are improperly placed, contact means mounted on the guard for registration with the positioning members at both stations and adapted to contact said positioning members when parts are improperly placed in either the compressing or the ejecting stations to prevent closing movement of said guards, said contact means being adapted to clear the positioning members when articles are properly placed at both stations, and means interconnected with the guard for controlling the operation of the piston including mechanism requiring the guards to be moved to the closed position before the piston may be actuated.

2. In an apparatus for use in assembling articles, a compressing station, an ejecting station including an ejecting mechanism, a guideway common to said stations for directing fixtures with articles thereon from the compressing station to the ejecting station, power means, a mechanism connected to the power means, a pressing head at the compressing station operated by said mechanism, a second mechanism interconnected with said power means for actuating the ejecting mechanism, said power means being operable to effect actuation of the two mechanisms simultaneously to compress the parts of an article in the compressing station and to eject the parts of an article at the ejecting station, a guard movable to enclose substantially all of the edges of the article at the pressing station, movably mounted positioning members at the compressing station and the ejecting station for positioning the fixtures at their respective stations, said positioning members adapted to lie in one position when the fixtures are properly placed at their respective stations, but to lie in a different position when said parts are improperly placed, contact means mounted on the guard for resignation with the positioning members at both stations and adapted to contact said positioning members when parts are improperly placed in either the compressing or the ejeoting station to prevent closing movement of said guard, said contact means being adapted to clear the positioning members when articles are properly placed at both stations, and means interconnected with the guard for controlling the operation of the power means including mechanism requiring the guard to be moved to closed position before the power means may be actuated.

HOWARD W. GARBE. 

